Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you worked, how high your salary, how much you put into taking care of your house and belongings, it’s never enough? In other words, you work your fingers to the bone and you find that you have too much month left and not enough money. Or no matter how much you work to maintain your house, there is always something to fix or take care of. Sometimes that’s just life and that’s just the way it is.
The prophet Haggai–his name means “my feast”–was the first prophetic voice to heard in Israel after the Babylonian Exile. He was a contemporary of the prophet Zechariah and of Confucius. His ministry was to call the people of Israel to finish building the Temple, a project that was delayed for 15 years. Up until that point, the people forgot all about finishing the “house of God.” Instead they built up for themselves possessions and other worldly items. In essence, they did not put God first in their lives and put themselves as #1.
Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?” Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.” Haggai 1:3-6.
When God says “while this house lies desolate,” he is speaking of the temple. We see the people of Israel dwelling in luxurious homes. “Paneled houses” implies that expensive timber had to be imported to build these homes. They people were simply looking after their own needs and wants and neglecting to put God first. Jesus warns us of its consequences.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal…. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:19, 33.
We need to put things into proper perspective. There is nothing inherently wrong with having a nice home and nice things. The problem is what is priority in your life; where does your heart lie? God, as our heavenly Father, wants to bless His children just as parents, we want to bless ours. But what is the proper response–as parents–we should have if our own children expect all these worldly things and are ungrateful and even have a sense of expectation and entitlement? Think about that. Why, then, should it be any different with us being children of God? Shouldn’t we, that much more, be grateful, thankful, and humbled by His goodness and generosity?
If we are seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness and His will, He promises to take care of us in verse 33. Let us continue to pray that we put God as #1 in our lives every day, every moment. May He Increase!
